7-letter words with A as the 1st letter and Z as the 6th letter

This tight pattern leaves just 13 tournament-dictionary entries, from familiar verbs such as ANALYZE and AGONIZE to less familiar forms like ALTEZZA. Every answer begins with A, and the Z sits immediately before the final letter. The ending is especially lopsided: 11 words finish with E, while just two finish with A.

At a glance: the A-and-Z pattern

• There are 13 matching seven-letter words across the listed tournament dictionaries.
• ANALYZE is the only entry counted among the common words.
• ALTEZZA and AZOTIZE tie for the top score at 25 points.
• Eleven words end in E; ALTEZZA and AZOTIZE end in A.

How many 7-letter words have A first and Z sixth?

There are 13. That small pool makes the fixed letters unusually restrictive: A is locked into the opening slot and Z into the sixth. If your other known letters do not fit those positions, this pattern is unlikely to be the answer.

ANALYZE and AGONIZE are the most recognizable entries, with ATOMIZE and ANODIZE also forming familiar verb patterns. By contrast, ALTEZZA, ALCO RZA, and AGATIZE are much less likely to spring to mind during a timed solve.

For Scrabble scoring, ALTEZZA and AZOTIZE lead at 25 points each, while APPRIZE scores 20 and ANALYZE scores 19. Those totals make the less familiar words worth checking when you have a Z, but board placement still determines the play's final value.

Dictionary coverage is not identical: Collins lists all 13 words, while ENABLE and NWL2023 list 9 each. Check your game's word list before playing a less familiar entry; the pattern does not guarantee acceptance in every version.

A nearby clue with A first and E sixth has 411 matches, a far broader search. For this Z pattern, focus on the final letter next: E covers most candidates, and A narrows the possibilities to two.